Various types of games are known in the prior art. Prior art patents disclose games designed to entertain and encourage social interaction, while also providing education.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,976 issued to Vano et al. on May 29, 1990 teaches a word association game for two or more players, such game being played with a game score sheet, a timer, a spinner, a category card deck and a play word deck. The players spin the spinner and the one with the highest score is the starter. That person selects a play word from a list which is provided with the game. The word is then revealed to all players who write it across the top of their game score sheet. Each player then spins the spinner to determine which category they are to select a card from and that category is listed in various squares along the side of the score sheet. The players then fill in words associated with that category and beginning with each letter of the play word in the square over the top of the score sheet. The timer is set for some predetermined period during which the players must try to fill in all the squares under the letters. When the timer signals that time has expired, the players are scored for their responses, and the one with the highest score wins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,561 issued to Whitten on Sep. 16, 1980 teaches a game device whereby a predetermined set of word category cards are selected randomly one at a time together with spinning a roulette wheel to select the first letter designation for a word response by the players which satisfies both the category and first letter so selected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,885 issued to Baratpour et al. on Jan. 8, 1989 provides a fast action game which includes a wheel imprinted with the letters of the alphabet and numbers. The wheel is rapidly rotated by a motor in response to player actuation of a switch. When the switch is released, the wheel will coast to a stop with an indicator pointing to one of the letters or numbers on the wheel. Players then complete a scoresheet printed with various categories of items with a word beginning with the letter indicated by the wheel. If the wheel indicates a number pre-selected by one player, the player receives a bonus score. Play continues until all categories are completed by one player. A scoring system enables the determination of the finish rank of the other players.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,051 issued to Tsacoyannis et al. on Oct. 31, 1978 provides an educational game including a plurality of category cards each defining a category of items, a plurality of reference cards which list alphabetically items to be found in each category on the category cards, a plurality of score cards, a plurality of markers each having a letter of the alphabet thereon and a timer. One of the markers is selected along with one of the category cards. The players are then permitted to write down all the items they can think of in the category on their score cards within a pre-selected interval of time. The items in the selected category are written in alphabetical order beginning with the letter appearing on the selected marker.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,380,106 issued to Hilton on Jul. 10, 1945 teaches a game comprising the combination of a card having a plurality of vertical columns with headings therein fro designating the meaning of the words to be written in said columns and horizontal lines crossing said columns for writing words thereon in said columns, and an alphabet pool comprising men with letters of the alphabet thereon for determining the first letter of each of said words on said lines in said columns, as well as a game comprising the combination of a card having a plurality of vertical columns and horizontal lines crossing said columns for writing words thereon in said columns, said vertical columns having associated indicia for designating the class of words to be written therein, an alphabet pool comprising men with letters of the alphabet thereon for determining the first letter of each of said words on said lines in said columns, and a time pool having men with numerals thereon for determining the amount of time for each game.
U.S. Pat. No. D259,796 issued to Meyer on Jul. 7, 1981 illustrates an ornamental design for a game spinner.